Madinat Al Hareer (Kuwait Silk City)
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Kuwait's Silk City, Madinat Al Hareer, is a monumental waterfront project financed partly through China's Belt and Road initiative. With an estimated cost of USD 132 billion, it has expanded its vision to span from 2024 to 2040, as announced in late September 2023.

Recent achievements include the completion of the USD 3 billion causeway in 2019, showcasing the project's phased approach. This transformative urban center, set to be home to the world's tallest man-made landmark, Burj Mubarak Al Kabeer, reaching 1,001 meters, is on track for full completion in 2023. Upon realization, Silk City will accommodate 750,000 residents in over 175,000 residential units, marking a significant milestone in Kuwait's urban development

Sources: https://themarkaz.org/the-bridge-to-nowhere/
https://thebusinessyear.com/article/megaprojects-in-kuwait-in-2023/

With Kuwait all set to construct the world’s tallest tower, Burj Mubarak al-Kabir, the Burj Khalifa (828 metres) in Dubai might no longer hold the title of the tallest building in the world. Kuwait aims to build the 1001-metre-high (3,284 feet) structure with an expected cost of nearly KWD 25 billion (around USD 82 billion).

Do you think they mean 2025? It won't surely take 25 years to build?

The one-kilometre tall tower will be designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and is expected to be completed in around 25 years, reportedly.
According to Arabian Business, three interlocking and twisting structures will ensure that the tower is protected against vibrations from a wind speed of 241.402 km/ph (150 miles). With an incredible design inspired by a traditional Islamic minaret, the gigantic Burj Mubarak al-Kabir tower will have a lean top and 234 floors with an accommodation capacity of 7,000 individuals.

The upcoming skyscraper will come with various facilities, including offices, apartments and observation decks. Along with these, the tower will also have a hotel and many retail outlets and restaurants.

Source: https://www.lifestyleasia.com/sg/travel/asia/kuwait-to-build-worlds-tallest-tower-burj-mubarak-al-kabir/

A deadline for accepting tenders for Silk City was set for 31 March 2022 according to the wiki page, but there is no news online about it now that it is April 2022. Silk City got a mention in Jan 2022 on Retail Leisure International:

Madinat Al Hareer – also known as Silk City is one of the largest mixed-use project development concepts in the world. The whole project submittal was created as a voluntary initiative by Tamdeen Group in collaboration with Ajiyal Real Estate & Entertainment Co. and has received blessing and approval from the Kuwait Municipal Council, Planning Authority and the State’s Cabinet. It reflects the company’s vision of Kuwait’s potential to create an integrated and uniquely designed city that will raise the standard for urban architecture and planning throughout the world – a collaborative partnership between the private and public sector. The development plan aims to provide a comprehensive and integrated commercial and residential environment that combines innovation with superior design and would provide a whole new urban space for Kuwait’s ambitious expansion plans.

Source: https://www.rli.uk.com/gcc-signs-of-resilient-recovery/
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madinat_al-Hareer

The project also got a mention in the Arab Times on March 20, 2022 when the National Assembly met to discuss budgets. The budget for the Silk City project was referenced as "a lie." Complaints were documented saying that the Kuwait 2035 vision must include more basic infrastructure solutions and solve problems like demographic imbalance, citizenship issues, visa trafficking, etc.

During the discussion the MPs stressed the need to address urgent and vital issues like education, health, housing, employment and demographic imbalance. MP Bader Al-Humaidi said the Silk City project, which has been in the government program since 2007, is a big lie. He pointed out this project remains in limbo and it has yet to be implemented even if the required budget is available. He added the government submitted another project – the development of Bubyan Island, which is still in the hands of the parliamentary Financial and Economic Affairs Committee for further study. So far, it has been found that the proposed projects should be established only on the periphery of the island because of the nature of its soil, he revealed.

Source: https://www.arabtimesonline.com/news/kuwait-has-become-state-for-expatriates/

This is never going to happen, since Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha have the same already in place. And now Saudi Arabia gets all the attention, with way superior developments such as NEOM. Who would want to move and live in Kuwait? Nobody.

Masterplan for Madinat Al Hareer



Vision for the city center



Sketch of planned neighborhood



Source: https://mgpcity.com/projects/madinatalhareer/

This is the latest on Kuwait's Silk City development

Kuwait has approved $65 billion for infrastructure, health, environment and power projects for the 2021-2022 financial year, with 5 percent of them based on partnerships with the private sector.

The projects comprise mainly the airport expansion, the Silk City, island development, trans-Kuwait rail network and rail link with nearby Gulf countries, Matla City, and the Clean Fuel Project.

Source: https://www.arabianbusiness.com/politics-economics/466315-kuwait-allocates-65bn-for-projects-across-sectors

Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Causeway, the bridge connecting Kuwait to Silk City is already operational but not much info is available for Silk City itself



Source: https://www.zawya.com/mena/en/story/Development_of_Jaber_Causeway_part_of_Kuwait_pull_to_Vision_2035-SNG_263652085/

The first phase of construction of the Silk City began in 2019. Madinat Al Hareer is part of Kuwait Vision 2035 project.

The project is being built in individual phases: May 2019, the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Causeway opened as a part of the Silk City project's first phase, which includes Mubarak Al Kabeer Port (also under construction now).

The Silk City project is a part of China's Belt and Road Initiative.

The development of Subiya is part of the first phase of Madinat al-Hareer (Silk City) construction. After the construction of Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Causeway, the development in Subiya has slowly started. The deadline for the Silk City project's tender is 31 March 2022

https://en.linkfang.org/wiki/Madinat_al-Hareer

Status update

Several major projects in Kuwait, including islands development, the Silk City, and the rail network, are lagging behind due to the Coronavirus pandemic and other factors, a newspaper in the OPEC member has reported.

Two multi-billion-dollar projects for the construction of the Silk City and the development of five island have not even got off the ground with 'zero execution rate' it said.

Source: https://www.zawya.com/mena/en/projects/story/PROJECTS_Key_Kuwait_projects_lag_behind_report-ZAWYA20210425052709/

Some photos from their website

Silk City will have 4 distinct quarters each with its own city centre. Finance City, Leisure City, Ecological City and Residential City are designed to provide the highest of global standards with a special focus on educational and cultural amenities culminating in a truly integrated solution for this modern community. Connected to Kuwait City by a new Bay-Bridge, joining with the new Arabian Bay Port, and anticipating a new International Airport, this city is planned to accommodate nearly 700,000 people and create nearly 430,000 new jobs. An emerald necklace of lakes and parks, like ribbons of silk, intertwine and weave each of the 25 neighbourhoods together into one cohesive city.

Plan:


Sources:
https://www.tamdeen.com/portfolio/madinat-al-hareer
https://www.webuildvalue.com/en/megatrends/silk-city-kuwait-s-city-of-dreams.html
https://www.civicarts.com/madinat-al-hareer
https://www.weetas.com/article/madinat-al-hareer-next-big-thing/

Madinat Al Hareer - also known as Silk City is one of the largest mixed-use project development concepts in the world. The whole project submittal was created as a voluntary initiative by Tamdeen Group in collaboration with Ajiyal Real Estate & Entertainment Co. Currently under development (Phase I).

The project will be built in individual phases. In May 2019, the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Causeway opened as part of the Silk City project's first phase, the project's first phase also includes Mubarak Al Kabeer Port which is currently under construction.

To be located in Subiya area with projected investments of KD 25 billion, Silk City will have 4 distinct quarters each with its own city centre. Finance City, Leisure City, Ecological City and Residential City are designed to provide the highest of global standards with a special focus on educational and cultural amenities culminating in a truly integrated solution for this modern community.

Source: https://www.tamdeen.com/portfolio/madinat-al-hareer